Portable first aid cabinet



Sept. 12, 1961 L. P. MANCINI 2,999,583

PORTABLE FIRST AID CABINET Filed July 30, 1959 E Q- l- /0 /5 5k- 29- /7 HTTONEY nite 2,999,583 PORTABLE FIRST AID CABINET Louis P. Mancini, 129 Braidburn Road,

Florham Park, NJ. Filed July 30, '1959, Ser. No. 830,488

" '3 Claims. (Cl. 206-12) of the character described having a multiplicity of spaces or compartments, in the major portion of which are arranged drawer-type elements, the other compartments providing storage for various sized containers for medicinal or other products.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a cabinet of the character described employing a front closure door, with means for securely supporting the same in horizontal position in front of the cabinet to provide a supporting and/or work shelf, upon which articles removed frorn the cabinet can be placed.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front View of a cabinet made according to my inventionrshowing the door in its lowered shelf forming position.

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 212 of FIG. part ofthe construction broken away; and v FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 ofFIG. lY lshowing the door in closed position.

In` connection with first aid servicing materials, it is more or less the universal experience in the home that various items for use in rendering first aid are to be foundin numerous places and, in fact, where time is a factor, invariably, the articles required cannot be found.

After long and careful study, I have conceived a means to at all times keep in one cabinet or parcel all of the standard products that can be utilized to render iirst aid, in other words, in caring for wounds, burns and accidental poisoning.

By providing a cabinet of the predetermined depth and width and height, the cabinet can be stored in or upon a shelf of standard toilet cabinets as used in bathrooms in the home. At the same time, the entire first aid cabinet can be removed to be carried about whenever desired or for transportation in traveling.

In illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, I provide an oblong, rectangular cabinet casing 10, preferably formed from molded plastic, and divided into numerous compartments by two vertical partitions 11 and 12 extending between the top wall 13 and bottom wall 14, one horizontal partition 15 extending between the side walls 16 and 17.

Two long horizontal partitions 18` and 19 extend bel, with `tween the partitions 11 and 12 and two short horizontal partitions 20 and 21 extend between 11 and 16 and 12 and 17, respectively. Two pairs of vertical partitions 22 fice and 23 extend between the top wall 13 and the partition 18 and between 15 and 19, respectively.

The several partitions form six rectangular compartments, in which similar drawer elements 24 are arranged. One long draw element 25 is arranged within and between walls 11 and 12, 18and 19. Four similar drawer elements 26 are` arranged between the bottom wall 14 and the partitions 15, 20 and 21 and one long narrow drawer 27 is arranged between the partitions 11 and 12, 15 and the bottorn wall 14. The remaining compartments that do not include the drawer elements, namely compartments 28 at the upper sides of the cabinet are each adapted to support two large containers 29 having removable closure caps 30, the latter being disposed at the rear portion of the cabinet and two smaller containers 31 having removable closure caps 32, the smaller containers being disposed at the forward portion of the cabinet. This arrangement of the containers is clearly illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

The side walls 16 and 17, above the partitions 20, 21, are formed thicker than the remaining walls of the cabinet and the forward portions of these walls are recessed, as seen at 16', 17', to receive brace rods 33, when in their collapsed position, as noted in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

At 34 is shown the door or closure for the cabinet suitably hinged, as diagrammatically illustrated at 35, to the bottom wall 14 of the cabinet. The door 34 has, on its inner surface, pivot lugs 36, to which the `rods 33 are pivoted, as seen at 37. The rods 33 have elongatedaper.- tures 38 slidably engaging pins 39 fixed to inner surfaces of the recessed portions of the walls 16 and 17 Considering FIGS. l and 2 of the drawing, it will appear that the rods 33 are adapted to support the door 34 in the forwardly extended horizontal position, forming a shelf, upon which articles removed from the cabinet can be placed in the service use of the cabinet. The door 34 will have, centrally of the free or upper edge thereof, a

protruding iingerpiece portion 34', note FIG. 3, and indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2, which protrudes above the top wall 13, facilitating the forcible opening of the door or dislodging a. catch 40 on the inner surface of the door from a recess 41 on the lower surface of the forward portion of the top wall, the recess 41 being illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The edge of the ngerpiece portion 34 is also indicated in FIG. l of the drawf ing.

All of the drawer elements 24, 25, 26 and 27 are generally of the same longitudinal sectional form with the exception as to the vertical dimensions of the walls thereof. For example, the `drawer elements 24 iiiclude rather heavy front wall portions 42 and thinner bottom and back wall portions 43 and 44, the front walls having protruding knobs or iingerpieces: 45. The drawer element 25 is generally the same, the front wall being indicated at 42', the bottom wall at 43", the back wall at 44' and, instead of a single knob, two knobs 45' are employed, note FIG. 1 of the drawing. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that none of the drawer elements include side wall portions, the back Walls being employed simply to draw the products containedin the compartments forwardly. The open sides facilitate quick and easy removal of products from the elements.

The four drawer elements 26 include frontwall portions 46, bottom walls 47 and rear wall 48, the knobs of the front walls being indicated at 49. Note, in this connection, FIG. 3 ofthe drawing. The drawer element 27 differs from the elements 26 in being longer and having two knobs 49 on the front wall 46', the bottom wall being indicated at 47 and the back wall at 48 in FIG. 2 of the drawing. It will appear, from a consideration of FIGS 2 and 3 of the drawing, that the several drawer elements are preferably formed of plastic, as is also the cover 34, and, while different types and kinds of materials can be used in the containers 29, 31, it is preferred that plastic containers, including plastic caps, be employed, particularly'if the medicine or other products contained therein can be stored in plastics.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing, forward edge portions of partsl of the partitions disposed centrally of the top of the cabinet are sectioned in red to indicate the application of a red striping, this to designate the character istics of the cabinet. In actual practice, it is proposed that the inner surface of the door 34 have applied theretorin any desired manner quick instructions for rendering first aid under the headings wounds, burns and accidental poisoning. In like manner, the outer surfaces of the front walls of all of the drawer elements will have applied thereto identifications of products contained within the compartments controlled by said element and exposed surfaces of the containers 29 and 30 will also be labeled to identify the medicinal or other contents of the container.

The various compartments of the container will provide storage for numerous types of iirst aid equipment such, for example, as sterilized bandage, cotton, adhesive tape, band aids or sterilized gauze pads, including the various standard types of remedies for treatment of wounds, burns and lrendering first aid in the event of accidental poisoning. Such hardware as swab sticks, scissors and the like, as well as a first aid book of instructions, are also part of the cabinet, the book being stored, for example, in the compartment controlled by the long drawer element 27. i From a consideration of FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, it will appear that the front walls of all of the drawer elements are disposed within the forward edge of the partition walls and, in like manner, the outer surface of the small containers 31 are so disposed. This construction provides room for the various knobs and clearance for the supporting rods 33.

It will be apparent, from a consideration of FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, that the back wall 50 of the cabinet in integral with the boundary walls and partition walls of the cabinet.

With a cabinet of the type and kind under consideration, it will appear that all of the essentials required and/ or desired for rendering first aid treatment can be compactly, neatly and practically stored for immediate use, thereby fulfilling a much needed want in the home or place of business. In fact, the uses of the cabinet are unlimited.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable rst aid cabinet of the class described comprising an oblong rectangular plastic casing defined by a back wall, top, bottom and side walls and a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertical and horizontal partitions, at least two of the vertical partitions extending the full depth of the cabinet, said partitions dividing the casing into a plurality of `longitudinally and vertically spaced drawer compartments, the front of the casing being open, the partitions terminating at the open front of the casing in a .common vertical plane, said compartments Vbeing of varied cross-sectional contours, drawer elements arranged in said drawer compartments, said drawer elements having front wall portions conforming to the cross-sectional contour of the compartments `in which they .are arranged, said front wall partitions lying in a common plane spaced inwardly of said common vertical plane, each drawer element also includingv a bottom and back wall, a sectional portion of the cabinet having two spaced sets of three compartments, each all of the same cross-sectional contour, said spaced sets of compartments being fully divided and spaced by one elongated compartment, each front wall portion having an integral handle projecting from the face thereof and lying within said common vertical plane, the drawer elements in said sets of compartments and elongated compartment controlling dispensing of iirst aid equipment contained therein such, for example, as sterilized bandages, cotton, adhesive tape, band aids, sterilized gauze, swab sticks, scissors and the like, and standard types of remedies for treatment of wounds, burns, etc. in rendering first aid, and a door for closing :the open front of the casing.

2. A portable first aid cabinet of the class described comprising an oblong rectangular plastic casing deiined by a back wall, top, bottom and side walls and a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertical and horizontal partitions, at least two of the vertical partitions `extending the full depth of the cabinet, said partitions dividing thev casing into a plurality of longitudinally and vertically spaced drawer compartments, the front of the casing being open, the partitions terminating at the open front of the casing in a common Vertical plane, said compartments being of varied cross-sectional contours, drawer elements arranged in said drawer compartments, said drawer elements having only front, bottom and rear wall portions, said front wall portions conforming to the cross-sectional contour of the compartments in which they are arranged, said front wall partitions lying in a common plane spaced inwardly of said common vertical plane, each drawer element also including a bottom and back wall, a sectional portion of the cabinet having two spaced sets of three compartments, each all of the same cross-sectional contour, said spaced sets of compartments being fully divided and spaced by one elongated compartment, each front wall portion having an integral handle projecting from the face thereof and lying within said common vertical plane, the drawer elements in said sets of compartments and elongated compartment controlling dispensing of first aid equipment contained therein such, for example, as sterilized bandages, cotton, adhesive tape, band aids, sterilized gauze, swab sticks, scissors and the like, and standard types of remedies for treatment of wounds, burns, etc. in rendering rst aid, and a door for closing the open front of the casing.

3. A portable rst aid cabinet of the class described comprising an oblong rectangular plastic casing dened by a back wall, top, bottom and side walls and a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertical and horizontal partitions, at least two of the vertical partitions extending the full depth of the cabinet, said partitions dividing the casing into a plurality of longitudinally and vertically spaced drawer compartments, the front of the casing being open, the partitions terminating at the open front of the casing in a common vertical plane, said compartments being of varied cross-sectional contours, drawer elements arranged in said drawer compartments, said drawer elements having only front, bottom and rear wall portions, said front wall portions conforming to the cross-sectional contour of the compartments in which they are arranged, said front wall partitions lying in a common plane 'spaced inwardly of said common vertical plane,

each drawer element also Vincluding a bottom and back wall, a mid-sectional portion of the cabinet having two spaced sets of three compartments, each all of the same cross-sectional contour, said spaced sets of compartments being fully divided and spaced by one elongated compartment, each front wall portion having an integral handle projecting from the face thereof and lying within said common vertical plane, the drawer elements in said sets of compartments and elongated compartment controlling dispensing of first aid equipment contained therein such, for example, as sterilized bandages, cotton, adhesive tape, band aids, sterilibed gauze, swab sticks, scissors and the like, and standard types of remedies for treatment of wounds, burns, etc. in rendering rst aid, a door for closing the open front of the casing, and said cabinet further having an open ended compartment on each side of said mid-sectional portion.

References Cited in the e of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 42,943 Hance May 31, 1864 

